Apparatus for conditioning air



Nov. l2, 1929. 1 HELMER APPRATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR Filed Jan. C51, 1929 v @5% h ggumw s .Patented Nov. 12, 1929 TES n LoUIs Hamann, or NEW YORK, N, Y.

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING ATR Application led January'8`1f1929. Serial No. 836,383.

This invention relates to an apparatus for cooling and conditioning air.

It is an object of my invention to provide an apparatus by the use of which air can be 5 conditioned, or made suitable for use indoors,

such as in theatres, etc., or for other puroses.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for the conditionin of air wherein water is used asthe sole re rigerating medium.

Other objects of my invention will appear as the description proceeds.

My invention maybe best understood from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which is a schematic elevation view of a preferred form of my apparatus.

In the drawing I have indicated generally at 10 an air conditioning chamber or dehumidiier. This chamber may be covered as at 12 by any suitable insulating material.

14 is an evaporator, in which the refrigerating medium, that is, water, is brought to the proper refrigeration temperature by evaporation. It is covered by a layer of insulating material 15. Extending horizontally across evaporator 18, near the top thereof, is a dplate 14a. Depending from this is a cylin rical hood 14". Plate 14 is perforated within the space defined by the radius of hood 14", the perforated section being designated by 14. 16 is a condenser which is connected to the evaporator 14 thru pipe 18, steam ejector20 and pipe 22. A pump, 24, operated by motor 26, maintains a partial vacuum in condenser 16 thru pipe 28. In this manner a high'vacuuml may be secured in evaporator 14. This lpump is a combined air and condensate vacuum pump of any well known type. It is designed to discharge gases through pipe and valve 92, whilejseparately discharging liquids thru pipe 66. At 30, I have indicated an au` tomatic shut-oil valve, by means of which, when the pressure in the system falls to a certain predetermined figure, steam is admitted to the ejector. In this way a high vacuum is maintained in evaporator 14, and a portion of the water therein will be vaporized. 50 This vapor, together with the steam admitted thru the ejector, will be condensed in condenser 16, as described later.-

The evaporation taking place in 14 serves to cool the unevaporated water therein. Whenthis water has attained the proper temperature-a'bout 50 F.,-it is suitable for use in the dehumidifier. It may then be pumped thru insulated pipe 32 by means of pump 34 and motor 36, into pipe38, and thence to the spray plpes 40 within the conditioning chamo ber. Air admitted thru the inlet 42 will then be properly cooled and dehumidified, and will be suitable for distribution, in such rooms as theatres, etc. It will be saturated with moisture at its own temperature-that is, it 55 will be at its dew point.

After cooling and regulating the humidity to the dew point, the air passes against haiiles or elements 44, which serve to remove any mechanically entrained moisture. The air I0 may then pass out thru outlet 46 and may be usedin any desired manner. i

I provide for the return to the evaporator of excess water which accumulates in the dehumidilier in thel following manner: Connected with the upper part of the evaporator 1s a plpe 48, which extends into, and nearly to the bottom of, the dehumidifying chamber. The vacuum within the evaporator will serve to raise vthe water which collects in the bottom of the dehumidifier, and the water will be .delivered into the top of the evaporator 14. 'Here it flows on to the perforated plate 14a, which breaks it up into droplets, which fall tothe bottom of the evaporator, being partially evaporated and greatly cooled in the course of this fall. The valve 52 serves to cut off the vacuum from the dehumidifier 10 when it is not needed or desired.

Since acertain amount of water is being constantly removed by evaporation from the cooling system, it is necessary tov provide m'eans for supplying additional water, as needed. v This may be automatically accomplished by a valve 54 connected with a float 95 56 and controlling a supply pipe 58, which may be connected to the city water system.

I provide means for automatically controlling the temlperature'of' the outflowing air, as follows: djacent the outlet pipe 46 100 I place a thermostat element 60. This thermostat is connected to an automatic valve 62 which is placed in the water feed line 38. An air feed 64 provides the actuating fluid for the automatic valve, being controlled in the well known manner from the thermostat 60. When the temperature of the outflowing air drops lbelow a predetermined desired figure, thel supply of cooling water will be partially or completely cut'ottl by automatic valve 62, thus preventing a further and undesirable drop in the temperature of the air.

To accomplish the condensation of the steam supplied thru ejector 20, and the water evaporated in the evaporator. 14, I employ7 the previously mentioned condenser 16. This may be of any suitable type, and I have illustrated one rather conventionally, as the specific details form no important part of the present invention. As shown, however, pump 24 draws the water yand Vvapor from condenser 16 thru pipe 28, and delivers the water thru pipe 66 to a cooling tower 68, where it may be cooled by spraying into the air from perforated pipes 70, or inany other suitable manner. Instead of cooling towers, I. might,`of course, use a cooling pond, or any other suitable device.

Vapor is rem'oved from condenser 16 thru pipe 29, which feeds to separator pump 24, as previouslydescribed. The vapor is then separated from the water, and discharged into the open.

The cooled water is withdrawn from cooling tower 68 thru pipe 72 by means of pump 74 and motor 76, and is fed thru pipe 7'8 back into condenser 16, where it serves to condense the steam and water vapor, thus aiding in maintaining a high vacuum within the system, and materially assisting in the refrigeration of thewater in evaporator 14.

In order to prevent excessive cooling, and consequent freezing of the coolingy water in evaporator 14, I provide automatic means for stopping the operation of the system when the temperature falls below a predetermined point. A thermostat element is placed within the evaporator -14. It is operatively-connected, as thru 82, to an automatic valve 84 which is cut into the cold water feed pipe 78 which feeds into condenser 16. A pipe 86 is connected to a suitable source, not shown, for supplying the pressure necessary forthe operation of the automatic valve 84. When the temperature of the water in 14 falls below the prede-- termined point, valve `84 will close, thus shutting olf the supply of condensing water to condenser 16. As a consequence of this, the vapor pressure within condenser 16 will rise, the steam valve 30 will close', the pressure within evaporator 14 will rise, and further evaporation and cooling of the refrigerating liquid will stop or be diminished.

This prevents freezing of the refrigeranjfand clogging of the systemf. f

In practice, with water at 50 F., being` supplied to the dehumidifier, the evaporator 14 will be maintained at a vacuum of, say, 0,178 pounds absolute. In condenser 16, the pressure will be about 0.979 pounds absolute, and the temperature of the condensing -vapors, steam, etc., say, 101 F.

Air entering the dehumidifier at 42 may, for example, be at a temperaturel of F.

. The refrigerant entering thepiJpe 38- may then be maintained at about 50 F. The out` going saturated air at 46 will then be at about 60I F., which yprovides a very satisfactory temperature for most purposes. These figures are, of course, illustrative only, and may vary to suit conditions.

Automatic valves 60 and 84 are 'preferably of the gradually operating type, so that when the temperature approaches the predetermined cut-of ligure, the valve will be partially tho not completely closed7 thus preventing complete cessation of operation and providing a more gradual and even control.

At the end of pipe 48 Within the dehumidifier 10, I may provide a suction strainer and check valve 88. Suitable valves, such as 90, 92, 94 and 9.6 may be provided in the different conduits for controlling at will the flow of the liquids. i

The operation of my apparatus should no w be clear A supply o f water is placed in evaporator 14. A vacuum is applied to the system by means ,of pum 24. When the pressure within the system falls below a certain figure, steam ejector 20 is automatically cut in and aids in the production of a vacuum in 14."

which enters the dehumidifier thru inlet pipe 42 is cooled to the required degree. It will deposit suliicient moisture to maintain itself just saturated at any temperature below the dew point of the incoming air. It then flows against and thru the baflie system 44 and is delivered into outlet pipe 46. Thermostat 60 controls the supply of refrigerating water.

The condensed water in condenser 16 is pumped to the cooling tower 68, where it is sprayed into the air from pipes 70 and cooled, collecting in the bottom thereof. From here it is returned to the condenserfand serves as a condensing medium.

The advantages of my stem are obvious. As a principal advantage, may mention that l require no gaseous refrigerant such as sulfur, dioxide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, etc., which are expensive and quite difficult to handle. The Water itself furnishes its own refrigerating medium. lits high specific heat adds greatly to the economy of operation. My system is compact, and can be carried out with apparatus approximately one-third the size of apparatus previously known and used. m' The temperature of the Water in the evaporator' is automatically controlled so that there is no danger of ice forming with resultant cloggin of the system.

`lhile I have shown a preferred form of apparatus, it is not to be considered that I' limit myself strictly thereto. Many changes in detail could be made, without aecting my invention. For example, instead of a steam ejector as a booster, I might use some device 2g such as a multi-stage rotary pump. Other changes might be made that Wil suggest themselves to an expert in the art; and these changes are to be considered as comprised in my invention, Which is to be limited only byv the prior state of the art and the scope of the appended claims.v

claim: 1. An apparatus for conditioning air comprising a dehumidifying chamber, means for so spraying water into said chamber, an evaporator, means for evaporating a portion of vthe contents of said evaporator, means for condensing the evaporated material, and means for automatically raising the pressure Within the system when the temperature of the water in the evaporator falls to a predetermined gure. n

2. An apparatus for conditioning air comprising a dehumidifying chamber. means for spraying water in said chamber, an evaporator, means for evaporating a portion of the .contentsotv said evaporator, means for condensing the evaporated material, and means for automatically raising the pressure Withal; in the system when the temperature of the water in the evaporator falls to a predetermined figure, said means comprising an automatic shut-oil' valve in the cold water feed pipe of said condenser, and a thermostatic control for said valve, positioned within said evaporator.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 26th `-day of January,`1929. l .LOUIS HELMER. 

